A long ago in China, a farmer was going outside to do his morning chores. He needed to chop some wood for the fire. He reached for his ax, behind the door where he always kept it. It was not there.
He called to his wife, "Did you see my ax?"
"No," she answered. "I did not see it."
He called to his oldest son, "Did you see my ax?"
"No, I did not see it," said his son.
Someone has stolen it, the farmer thought.
He went outside. There was his neighbor, standing near the farmer's property. Right away, the farmer felt suspicious. His neighbor kept his back to him.
The farmer thought, "He stole my ax. That is why he will not face me."
He went inside and complained to his wife, "Our neighbor stole my ax! I am sure of it!"
His wife said, "I don't think he would do that. It's possible, of course. But why don't you look around a bit?"
The farmer didn't want to look around. He wanted to go over and shout at his neighbor. But he did look around the yard, watching his neighbor out of the corner of his eye.
Oh! There was his ax! He had left it stuck in a tree stump the day before.
"Hello!" he said to his neighbor. His neighbor, who was very busy at work, turned around and waved to him in a friendly way.
I am lucky to have such a hard-working, honest neighbor, thought the farmer.
"Have a good day!" he called to his neighbor.
"You too!" called his neighbor, and both men went off to finish their morning chores.
QUESTIONS
1. Did the neighbor steal the ax?
2. The neighbor was facing the other way when the farmer first came out. What did the farmer think this meant?
3. The farmer was still facing the other way after the farmer found his ax. What did the farmer think of this once he had found his ax?
4. First, the farmer thought his wife was responsible for the missing ax. Then he thought his son was responsible. After that, he thought his neighbor was responsible. Who was really responsible for the missing ax?
5. Do people tend to blame others first before they take responsibility themselves?
6. Have you ever thought something had been stolen from you, only to find it and realize the people around you were innocent?
EXERCISE
Repeat each good thought about others five times:
1. Most people are good. 2. Most people are honest. 3. Most people mean no harm. 4. My family loves me. 5. I have many good friends. Did the dishes Mother thanked me Studied hard Got an A Helped Daddy clean yard Ice cream cone
Think Kindly of Others
A long ago in China, a farmer was going outside to do his morning chores. He needed to chop some wood for the fire. He reached for his ax, behind the door where he always kept it. It was not there.
He called to his wife, "Did you see my ax?"
"No," she answered. "I did not see it."
He called to his oldest son, "Did you see my ax?"
"No, I did not see it," said his son.
Someone has stolen it, the farmer thought.
He went outside. There was his neighbor, standing near the farmer's property. Right away, the farmer felt suspicious. His neighbor kept his back to him.
The farmer thought, "He stole my ax. That is why he will not face me."
He went inside and complained to his wife, "Our neighbor stole my ax! I am sure of it!"
His wife said, "I don't think he would do that. It's possible, of course. But why don't you look around a bit?"
The farmer didn't want to look around. He wanted to go over and shout at his neighbor. But he did look around the yard, watching his neighbor out of the corner of his eye.
Oh! There was his ax! He had left it stuck in a tree stump the day before.
"Hello!" he said to his neighbor. His neighbor, who was very busy at work, turned around and waved to him in a friendly way.
I am lucky to have such a hard-working, honest neighbor, thought the farmer.
"Have a good day!" he called to his neighbor.
"You too!" called his neighbor, and both men went off to finish their morning chores.
QUESTIONS
1. Did the neighbor steal the ax?2. The neighbor was facing the other way when the farmer first came out. What did the farmer think this meant?
3. The farmer was still facing the other way after the farmer found his ax. What did the farmer think of this once he had found his ax?
4. First, the farmer thought his wife was responsible for the missing ax. Then he thought his son was responsible. After that, he thought his neighbor was responsible. Who was really responsible for the missing ax?
5. Do people tend to blame others first before they take responsibility themselves?
6. Have you ever thought something had been stolen from you, only to find it and realize the people around you were innocent?
EXERCISE
Repeat each good thought about others five times:1. Most people are good.
2. Most people are honest.
3. Most people mean no harm.
4. My family loves me.
5. I have many good friends.
Did the dishes Mother thanked me
Studied hard Got an A
Helped Daddy clean yard Ice cream cone